By Caribbean News Now contributor

NASSAU, Bahamas — The first Waldorf-Astoria in the Caribbean is to be located in Antigua, and is one of 15 new hotels that have been approved for construction in Antigua and Barbuda, tourism minister Charles ‘Max’ Fernandez told reporters during a product update briefing at the State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) in The Bahamas.

The Waldorf Astoria Collection is a Hilton Worldwide luxury hotel and resort brand and is the flagship brand within Hilton’s portfolio for hotels that offer the highest standards of facilities and service.

Scheduled to open in 2019, the Waldorf Astoria Antigua will be located in a cove along the southeastern coast of Antigua at Morris Bay Beach, roughly…